Shane Battier’s Pregame Playlist

It took Shane Battier 832 regular season games and 69 playoff games to reach his first Finals this season with the Heat, and now the 33-year-old veteran is one game away from a ring.

After failing to score in double-digits in back-to-back games during the 2011-12 regular season, Battier put up 17 points in both Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, and has hit 12 of his 19 shots from behind the arc through the first four games of the series. He’s averaging 11.8 points per game against the Thunder despite averaging just 4.8 points per game in 65 games during the regular season.

In the past Battier has attributed his success to TV shows and documentaries, but his Miami teammates have claimed it comes from hard work, dedication and practice. While the jump in Battier’s game is the result of his on-court work, it’s likely his mental pregame preparation also plays a role.

The first words Battier hears from his iPod while preparing for a game are those of Jimi Hendrix proclaiming, “There must be some kind of way out of here.” But if the song is being used as motivation then “here” can’t possibly mean the NBA Finals since that’s the last place Battier would want to leave right now.

CBS Local Sports was able to get a look at Battier’s pregame playlist, and as expected, it’s the perfect mix of songs to inspire a veteran playing a for a title. Here is his playlist.